Mt. Rainier still reeling from November storm.

Crews at Mt. Rainier National Park, Wash., have been working endlessly to fix some of the major damage it suffered in a Nov. 6 and 7 storm. At the time of press, officials were still working to meet the goal of reopening the park to the public by the Christmas holiday. The park was closed for the first time since the eruption of Mt. St. Helens and for the longest period since World War II.

Damage to the park was severe, including landslides that ate away hundreds of feet of riverfront land triggered by 18 inches of rain that fell in 36 hours. The park's basic infrastructure was in disarray as roads and trails throughout the park were washed away.

After the storm, the first task was to make the main trails and roads accessible. Crews worked to rebuild 200 yards of missing roadway just inside one of the park's main entrances by filling in the gap with several thousand tons of rock. Another road had 80 feet of ground washed out below it, while others have dozens of feet of debris from landslides on top, making them impassable. A full two miles of roads were lost in the park. The lack of access kept workers from getting to other areas needing repair.

One of the most obvious losses was the Sunshine Point Campground, most of which is now the site of a widened river that engulfed the campground's roadway, beachfront, as well as parking, picnic and restroom facilities.

The total assessed damages include five major roads, four campgrounds, an amphitheater and three buildings, as well as compromised electrical, sewer and water systems.

"The damage we've experienced at Mount Rainier National Park this week is sobering," said Dave Uberuaga, park superintendent. "But I'm confident the park staff has the skills and the energy necessary to repair the damage and get the gates back open as soon as possible."

The park has 82 employees dedicated to dealing with the results of the incident. Employees from Redwood, Yosemite and Sequoia National Parks and Dinosaur National Monument are helping as well. Other support is being provided by Guest Services Incorporated, Federal Highways, the Washington Department of Transportation, the U.S. Geological Survey and workers from Pierce and Lewis Counties.

The park is slowly opening back up to hikers and snowshoers, but all roads remain closed. Unfortunately, the extent of damage by the storm may not be known for some time. Park officials say that despite the predicted condition of many snow-covered trails and missing bridges, only a summer thaw-out will reveal what lies beneath.

For up-to-date information on the park's cleanup efforts, visit www.nps.gov/mora/.